TUCSON, Ariz. --University of Arizona head football coach Rich Rodriguez announced Monday that defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jeff Casteel and defensive line coach Bill Kirelawich will not return to the coaching staff in 2016.
Both have been with Rodriguez since his hiring at Arizona prior to the 2013 season and served on his staff at West Virginia for seven seasons.
Casteel spent 11 seasons at West Virginia before joining Rodriguez in Tucson , while Kirelawich spent 32 years as an assistant at West Virginia before coming West.
Arizona's defense was hard-hit by injuries this season -- particularly at the linebacker position, where All-American Scooby Wright was limited to parts of two regular-season games -- and ranked 10th in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (35.8 points per game) and total defense (466.9). Nationally, they ranked 107th in scoring defense and 114th in total defense.
Rodriguez earlier announced that David Lockwood would not return as cornerbacks coach -- meaning that safeties coach Matt Caponi is the only returning defensive coach on the staff. Jahmile Addae was promoted from an analyst position to replace Lockwood.
